1991 National League Retirements

The baseball torch is passed from season to season and in some cases, from game to game. In 1911, Cy Young pitched his final Major League game, lost 1-0, and ended the final season of his career with a losing record of 7-9 and an ERA of 3.77. Young's opponent that particular day was a first-year pitcher named Grover Alexander who received the win, added to his league leading shutout total, and went on to begin his career with a winning record of 28-13 and an ERA of 2.57.

Bob Gibson, who was easily one of the most intense competitors of all time, gave up a grand slam to the last Major League hitter he faced, Pete LaCock of the Chicago Cubs. Fifteen years passed and when the two faced off during an old-timer's game, Gibson hit LaCock on his back with a fastball.

Babe Ruth summed it up when he responded to a question about retirement by saying, "A ballplayer should quit when it starts to feel as if all the baselines run uphill." Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a comprehensive list of National League League players who hung up their spikes in 1991.

"I want to hit a routine grounder to second and run all out to first base, then get thrown out by a half step. I want to leave an example to the young guys that that's how you play the game, all out." - George Brett
 

National League Retirements

1991

11 Mike Bell Atlanta Braves 1B 24
18 Jim Clancy Atlanta Braves P 36
8 Mike Heath Atlanta Braves C 37
17 Danny Heep Atlanta Braves 1B 34
42 Rick Mahler Atlanta Braves P 38
46 Dan Petry Atlanta Braves P 33
43 Doug Sisk Atlanta Braves P 34
39 Scott May Chicago Cubs P 30
39 Laddie Renfroe Chicago Cubs P 30
42 Stan Jefferson Cincinnati Reds OF 29
26 Terry Lee Cincinnati Reds 1B 30
25 Carmelo Martinez Cincinnati Reds 1B 31
6 Donnie Scott Cincinnati Reds C 30
55 Glenn Sutko Cincinnati Reds C 24
35 Mike Capel Houston Astros P 30
38 Jim Clancy Houston Astros P 36
36 Gary Cooper Houston Astros 3B 27
22 Mark Davidson Houston Astros OF 31
39 Chris Gardner Houston Astros P 23
23 Andy Mota Houston Astros 2B 26
28 Carl Nichols Houston Astros C 29
29 Javier Ortiz Houston Astros OF 29
33 Mike Scott Houston Astros P 37
20 Jose Tolentino Houston Astros 1B 30
36 Dean Wilkins Houston Astros P 25
3 Jeff Hamilton Los Angeles Dodgers 3B 28
21 Greg Smith Los Angeles Dodgers 2B 25
23 Oil Can Boyd Montreal Expos P 32
24 Ron Hassey Montreal Expos C 39
48 Bill Long Montreal Expos P 32
42 Rick Mahler Montreal Expos P 38
48 Doug Piatt Montreal Expos P 26
2 Gilberto Reyes Montreal Expos C 28
6 Nikco Riesgo Montreal Expos OF 25
12, 44 Kenny Williams Montreal Expos OF 28
38 Blaine Beatty New York Mets P 28
28 Tom Herr New York Mets 2B 36
0 Terry McDaniel New York Mets OF 25
11 Garry Templeton New York Mets SS 36
39 Kelvin Torve New York Mets 1B 32
35 Darrel Akerfelds Philadelphia Phillies P 29
37 Rod Booker Philadelphia Phillies SS 33
16 Sil Campusano Philadelphia Phillies OF 26
44 Amalio Carreno Philadelphia Phillies P 28
26 Ron Jones Philadelphia Phillies PH 27
42 Dave LaPoint Philadelphia Phillies P 32
28 Jeff Banister Pittsburgh Pirates PH 27
27 Mark Huismann Pittsburgh Pirates P 34
28 Carmelo Martinez Pittsburgh Pirates 1B 31
36 Joe Redfield Pittsburgh Pirates 3B 31
30 Rosario Rodriguez Pittsburgh Pirates P 22
47 Jeff Schulz Pittsburgh Pirates PH 30
7 Marty Barrett San Diego Padres 2B 33
45 John Costello San Diego Padres P 31
39 Wes Gardner San Diego Padres P 31
39 Jim Lewis San Diego Padres P 27
37 Eric Nolte San Diego Padres P 28
32 Adam Peterson San Diego Padres P 26
18 Jim Presley San Diego Padres 3B 30
41 Steve Rosenberg San Diego Padres P 27
1 Garry Templeton San Diego Padres 3B 36
31 Ed Whitson San Diego Padres P 37
50 Scott Garrelts San Francisco Giants P 30
28 Tom Herr San Francisco Giants 2B 36
16 Terry Kennedy San Francisco Giants C 35
29 Mike LaCoss San Francisco Giants P 36
48 Paul McClellan San Francisco Giants P 26
48 Rick Reuschel San Francisco Giants P 43
46 Jose Segura San Francisco Giants P 29
56 Tim Sherrill St. Louis Cardinals P 26
37 Scott Terry St. Louis Cardinals P 32
1991 National League Retirements



Find out which players made their Major League debut in the National League during the 1991 season as this group of players bid farewell to their field's of dreams.

On July 28, 1976, Blue Moon Odom pitched the final five innings of his Major League career. He was relieved by Francisco Barrios in the sixth inning and the two White Sox combined to pitch a 2-1 no-hitter versus the Oakland Athletics.

Did you know that future hall of fame pitcher Walter Johnson ended his Major League career in 1927 with a pinch-hit appearance? During the final game of the season pitcher Tom Zachary, who had just given up Babe Ruth's sixtieth home run of the season, was lifted and Johnson replaced him at the plate.